Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP in Latin America and the Caribbean

Latin America and the Caribbean: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP was 0.6% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
0.6%
Change on year
up 1.3%
Rank
16th
of 22 groups
All-time high
0.7%
in 2015
All-time low
0.5%
in 2004
Years of data
24
2000–2023

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP in Latin America and the Caribbean, 2000–2023

00.20.40.62000201120232000: 0.5332001: 0.5452002: 0.5382003: 0.5452004: 0.5322005: 0.5462006: 0.5352007: 0.5672008: 0.6042009: 0.6262010: 0.6412011: 0.6142012: 0.6062013: 0.6392014: 0.6632015: 0.6632016: 0.6092017: 0.572018: 0.5782019: 0.5742020: 0.6142021: 0.5482022: 0.5662023: 0.573

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

In 2023, research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp in Latin America and the Caribbean stood at 0.6%.

The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and down 10.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp in Latin America and the Caribbean peaked at 0.7% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 2004.

That places Latin America and the Caribbean 16th out of 22 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP in Latin America and the Caribbean, year by year

Annual values for Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP (%) in Latin America and the Caribbean, 2000 to 2023.
Year Value Change
2000 0.5%
2001 0.5% +2.2%
2002 0.5% -1.2%
2003 0.5% +1.3%
2004 0.5% -2.4%
2005 0.5% +2.5%
2006 0.5% -2.0%
2007 0.6% +6.0%
2008 0.6% +6.5%
2009 0.6% +3.7%
2010 0.6% +2.4%
2011 0.6% -4.3%
2012 0.6% -1.2%
2013 0.6% +5.3%
2014 0.7% +3.8%
2015 0.7% +0.0%
2016 0.6% -8.1%
2017 0.6% -6.5%
2018 0.6% +1.5%
2019 0.6% -0.7%
2020 0.6% +7.0%
2021 0.5% -10.8%
2022 0.6% +3.2%
2023 0.6% +1.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 0.6% 0.5% 0.6% 10
2010s 0.6% 0.6% 0.7% 10
2020s 0.6% 0.5% 0.6% 4

Countries ranked near Latin America and the Caribbean

  1. 13 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 2.7% compare
  2. 13 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 2.7% compare
  3. 15 Iceland 2.6% compare
  4. 16 China 2.6% compare
  5. 17 Netherlands (Kingdom of the) 2.3% compare
  6. 18 France 2.2% compare
  7. 19 Slovenia 2.1% compare

See the full ranking of 143 places →

More economy & growth data for Latin America and the Caribbean

All data for Latin America and the Caribbean →

Frequently asked questions

What is research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp in Latin America and the Caribbean?
Research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp in Latin America and the Caribbean was 0.6% in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean?
The highest recorded value was 0.7% in 2015.
What is the lowest research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean?
The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 2004.
How does Latin America and the Caribbean rank for research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp?
Latin America and the Caribbean ranks 16th out of 22 groups with data for 2023.
Is research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp rising or falling in Latin America and the Caribbean?
Over the last ten years it is down 10.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Latin America and the Caribbean data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP in Latin America and the Caribbean. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/research-and-development-expenditure-as-a-proportion-of-gdp-percent/latin-america-and-the-caribbean/

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About this data

Indicator
Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
143 places, 2,753 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed